going into HT surgery without being on any medication

[Roy]

Hey guys,

 

I am planning on going into HT surgery with SMG in the next few weeks. I am currently not on any finasteride or minoxidil regimen (have never been).

If SMG recommends, I will get on it post-op but I after reading through some posts here I am wondering if I should have already started a regimen a year ago. What are the risks of going into surgery without being on finasteride?

My hair loss is getting really bad and I would not like to wait 1 more year.

 

Thanks,

Roy.

[Maxxy]

Roy,

 

The main problems I see with having a transplant without first giving the meds a shot are: If you don't try to stabilise/slow your hair loss prior to the procedure, there is no way of telling what (if any) benefits they will have. If you continue to lose hair at the same rate, how will the transplant look a year or two down the road? There is always the chance that the meds will regrow some hair... if this happened you could be wasting grafts on areas that don't need them. You also run the risk of damaging follicles that the meds could have kick started of strengthened.

[TakingThePlunge]

Maxxy,

 

You bring up some very good points. I really wish I'd started Finasteride and Rogaine much earlier. I did try Rogaine several months before my HT but I found that I had very little motivation to maintain the regimen because I knew that it wouldn't impact my baldest areas. I was afraid of Propecia's side-effects and chose to avoid that as well.

 

After my HT I decided that I needed to use every weapon in the arsenal in order to best maintain what I had. I believe it is working out well for me. My crown was not mapped and I have few detailed pictures of it before I started meds but I seem to have had some decent growth.

 

Roy,

 

I was in the same position when I had my HT. I decided not to wait. Dr. Alexander is very conservative by nature and we planned to leave plenty of grafts available to deal with future loss. Have you discussed these concerns with your doc? With a good plan I don't see why you shouldn't go ahead with your HT.

 

Best of luck to you!

[Time to do something]

If you have no side effects from finasteride I'd say go for it. I had to stop using it because it apparently lowered my DHT (which is responsible for sexual well being) to the point where I was beginning to have sexual dysfunction. After stopping the medication I returned to normal. I guess it effects everyone differently. It took three months to affect me. I suppose that is how long it took to lower my DHT levels enough to be a problem. My Endocrinologist says DHT tests are very unreliable and inaccurate when I asked if I could get it checked. This is also an expensive medication for life.

[Maxxy]

This is also an expensive medication for life.

 

Personally I don't feel that Finasteride is an expensive drug, at least it doesn't have to be.

 

At today's prices you can take 1mg of Finasteride for $6 per month. At that price over 30 years it would cost you $2,160. I'm not suggesting the drug will continue to work over the 30 years but I feel it's very cost effective.

[MikeTheDane]

Expensive is relative. I pay around $1.50 a month for mine.

[Time to do something]

That's great. Very few people receive it for that price though. Like I said I'd recommend going for it if there are no side effects or if you don't mind losing erections and libido if there are side effects. For me that was unacceptable. A new study shows this drug may have some prostate protective benefits but also showed me who took it had an increased incidence of heart diseases compared to the control group. It is a personal decision based on risks and benefits.

[Maxxy]

Roy plans on starting Finasteride, his concerns are regarding going into surgery without being on Finasteride prior.

[growingnow]

hay i had a ht without previously being on anything and everything turned out fine.

[growingnow]

of course now im on fin and minox